Molding apparatus.



J. B. WALKER.

MOLDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAII. 31. 1915.

l,V1-,156,449. I Patented 00u12, 1915.

JOHN B. WALKER JOHN B; WALKER, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABA.

MOLDING APPARATUS.

Liscate.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

v Application filed March 31, 1915. Serial No. 15,281.

To all whom t may concern.' Be it known that l, JOHN B. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jederson and 5 State of Alabama,have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Molding Apparatus, of which the following is a specificavMy invention relates to improvements for casting open hearth charging boxes and like large hollow articles.

The main object of my invention is to cheapen the cost of casting articles of this character by simplifying the operations with a view to obtaining a morerapid production and also to desi the apparatus to produce a casting that will be of uniform firmness of metal and free from irregular shape and cracks.

My preferred means for obtainmg the ends in view, comprises a metallic arbor composed of a plurality of separate parts that are loosely mounted upon the drag and connected to means for spreading them to g receive the sand and form the core and for `collapsing or releasing them to collapse to gether both from the sides and ends of the drag to provide'for the shrmkage 0f the casting from allI directions.

-My invention also involves 'certain 1mprovements in the construction of the drag which has `stop lugs to centerA the expanded arbor thereon and in the means for adjusting, locking and releasing the plungers ith sections.

My invention also involves the severalother features of construction and arrangements of parts which are hereinafter e claimed, and which in their preferred embodiment are more particularly describedby reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this 'specilicatiom and in which d@ Figure 1 isa plan view showing the drag and the sectionalarbor in expanded position ready for the formation of the sand oo re. Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation and partial sectional view showing the apparatus asd@ sembled for casting.` Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views of an arbor section; and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line -m of Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The apparatus consists briely of a drag 1 which control the -adjustments of the arbor' having mounted thereon an arbor formed in four parts which are respectively numbered recentere eee. ie, raie;

2, 3, 4 and 5. The parts 2 and 3 are similar except that they are reversely disposed and they are similar to the parts 4 and 5, except that the latter have at one end a downwardly inclined wall 6, as will be seen in dotted lines Fig. 4, which is a view typical of the several arbor segments. rlhese segments are formed of castings having perforated side, top and end walls and reinforcing intermediate vertical ribs 7 and an internal horizontal ange 8 near the bottom. The ribs 7 extend from the top where they are widest to the flange '8 and to this ilange 8 of each section l hinge a pair of toggle linlrs 9, the'inner ends of which are pivoted to bosses on a plunger 10.. A plunger is provided to control the arbor sections 2 and 3 and it extends to the right through a notch in the low marginal wall 11 which surrounds the drag. The outer end of the plunger 10 is provided with an upturned wedge shoulder l2 which is adapted to receive a wedge 13 inserted between it and the Wall 11 so as to force the plunger to the right and expand the toggle links 9 to move the sections` 2 and 3 outwardly and endwise into their expanded position. The arbor sections 4 and 5 are similarly constructed and connected to a plunger 10 which projects beyond the left hand end of the drag and is similarly connected thereto by a wedge 13. The drag is provided with' a series of lugs 14 which are placed to be engaged by the sides and ends of the expanded arbor sections so as to properly center the latter upon the drag. f

In order. to prevent the sand working in between the arbor sections, I provide a number of narrow metal plates which will cover the spaces between the arbor sections without interfering with their free collapsing movement. The end openings are closed by vertical plates 15. opening between each pair of sections is closed by a longitudinal top plate 16 and the transverse opening between the two pairs of sections is closed by a curved plate 17 which lits over the top and down the sidesA The top longitudinal thereof. Green molding sand is then ramdriving in the wedges 13 between the end tions until they are held rigidly against the end and side lugs 14. After the several ]oint plates have been placed in position, a wooden core box (not shown) is placed over the 'arbor on the drag and held in position by fitting snugly in the recess formed by the beveled faces 18 of the marginal wall 11 med into this space between the arbor and the core box to form the lower part of the sand cor'e. The upper portion of the core is then formed by ramming sand over the top of the arbor and resting a sweep held vertically on the top of the wooden core box and drawing it from end to end thereof. One end of the boX desired to be cast by this apparatus has slots with holes in it and this end is formed by a separate sand core 19 which is set in its proper place on the drag (see Fig. 2). After the core *has been rammed and the core boX. removed and the end core 19 placed, a chill 20 is then placed over the cores and the apparatus is ready for pouring. The chill 20A is preferably formed of cast iron and is held in lace on the drag by pins 21 so placed that t ey will engage in holes 22 in the drag and center the core properly on the drag.- The ch1ll 1s provided on top with a hole 23 for pouring spout and riser and a hole 2li for watching the flow of metal when pourlng. It 1s also provided with handles 25 by means of which it can be readily lifted on an'd ofi' the drag. After the casting has been poured the chill is'quickly removed before the casting has cooled -beyond the surface heating of the metal. The wedges 13 are then quickly knocked out freeing the plungers 10 and allowing the core to contract from all directions, thus accommodating the shrinkage of the casting and preventing the opening of the sand. By removing the chill and eX- posing the casting to the air it is allowed to cool evenly which produces a casting of regular form and uniform firmness of metal. Although it is desirable to use a cast iron chill I do not want to limit my apparatus t its use as any standard type of cope can be readily substituted and utilized to a good advantage in its place. For venting purposes and to facilitate the removal ofzthe core sand, I provide the bottom of the drag with a pair of centrally disposed rectangular openings v26 which are covered by the arbor sections in their expanded position.

The side walls of the arbor are perforated so that the core will vent'itself freely thereunder and through the bottom of the drag.

The salient feature of my invention is the grouping of independent sets of core arbor sections for control by independent plungers, thus permitting the greatest iexibility of adjustment to take care of the ,shrinkage in the casting.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a molding apparatus, the combination with a drag, of a sectional core arbor mounted thereon, a plurality of plungers, means actuated by each plunger to adjust an independent group of arbor sections, and means to releasably hold the plungers in predetermined position relative to the drag, substantially as described.

2. In a molding apparatus, the Combination with a drag, of a sectional core arbor mounted thereon, a plurality of oppositely and laterally movable plungers, means to operably connect a different group of arbor sections to each plunger, and devices to releasably hold the plungers land arbor sections in predetermined position relative to the drag, substantially as described.

3. In a molding apparatus, the combination with `a drag, of a sectional core arbor mounted thereon, a plurality of laterally movable plungers, an independent operating` mechanism actuated by each plunger and connected to a group of arbor sections, and keys to releasably hold the plungers and arbor vsections in predetermined position relative to the drag, substantially as described.

4. In a molding apparatus, a drag, a core arbor formed in two pairs of relatively adjustable sections, means on the drag to limit the expanding movements. of the arbor sections, and an independently movable actuating means for adjusting each pair of arbor sections, substantially as described.

5. In a molding apparatus, the combination with a drag having side and end stop lugs, 'of a core arbor seated centrally on the drag and divided along vertical planes into a plurality of relatively movable sections. a plurality of plungers controlling said scctions, and releasable means which actuate the plungers to expand and hold the arbor sectionsfagainst said stop lugs, substantially as described.

6. In a molding apparatus, the combination with a cope and a drag having side and end stop lugs, of a core arbor,4 loosely mounted on the drag and divided vertically into a plurality of relatively movable sections, a plurality of laterally movable plungers controlling said section, releasable means to actuate the plungers and expand the arbor sections against said stop lugs, and means to cover the joints between the eX- pandedarbor section without'l interfering with their collapsing movements, substantially as described.

7. In a molding apparatus, a drag having a low marginal wall and a series of side and end stop lugs in its bottom, a core arbor formed of a plurality of independently adinstable sections which are ioosely mounted. between said lugs on the drag, plunger con trolled means'to expand the sections of each set until they engage said lugs, said means comprising a plunger which projects beyond the marginal wall of the drag, and releasable means to adjust and hold the plunger in arbor-expanded position, substantially as described.

8. in a molding apparatus of the character described, a core arbor divided longitudinally and transversely vinto sections, plungers, links connecting a number of sections to each plunger, wedge means to adjust each plunger on the drag to expand the arbor j sections connected thereto, and means to limit the expanding movements of the arbor sections to center them on the drag, substantially as described. j

9. lln a molding apparatus, a drag, a core arbor loosely mounted on the drag, said arbor being open at its bottom and being parted along vertical transverse and longitudinal planes, independent laterally movable means to control the expansion of the arbor, and means to cover the arbor joints without interfering with their collapsing movements.

10 ln a molding apparatus, a drag, a cope, a core arbor slidably mounted on the drag and divided along vertical transverse and longitudinal planes into sections, means to move the sectlons apart endwise and later- ""rkally, means to limit the endwise and lateral expanding movements of the sections, and external wedges which engage said means and hold the sections expanded, said sections being adapted when released to contract both from endwise and lateral directions.

11. A core arbor divided along vertical and longitudinal planes into sections, longitudinal and transverse cover plates for they top and vertical side joints'of the arbor and which rest loosely against the adjacent edges of the sections, and means to expand the sections apart laterally in bothendwise and lateral directions.

12. A hollow troughlike core arbor formed of sections, each section having. a side, a top and an outer end wall, plunger means to move said sections relatlvely to separate them, releasable means to hold the sections expanded, and joint protecting means to precore packing in the open joints of tbe expanded sections and interfering with theirvifree collapse.

i3. A hollow expansible core arbor formed by hollow sections comprising each an outer end wall, a top wall, and an outer side wall, laterally movable plungers, links connecting each plunger to adjacent opposite arbor sections, and releasable means to force the plungers in opposite directions to expand the sections both laterally and endwise, lsubstantially as described. v y

1d. The combination with a dat drag having a marginal side wall, of'a hollow expansible core arbor formed byhollow sections comprising each an outer `end wall, atop wall, and an puter side wall, said sections being loosely mounted to slide on the drag, an internal horizontal iange in each section, horizontal plungers ywhich project laterally from within the core arbor beyond said drag wall, links connecting each plunger to the anges of opposite adjacent arbor sections, wedge means to force the plungers in opposite directions 'and expand the .sections respectively ccmnectedy thereto both laterally and endwise, and stop means on the drag to center the expanded arbor thereon, there being bottom venting openings in the drag.

15. In combination, a drag having a marginal wall with a tapered inner mold centering face and end openings therethrough, plungers projecting through said end openings and slidable on the bottom of the drag,

a sectional core arbor mounted on the drag and having generally the shape of an inverted trough, toggle links connecting op posing sections of the arbor to each plunger,

end and side stop lugs on the drag to limit the expanding movements of the arbor and center it on the drag, joint protecting means for the arbor sections, wedges adapted to be inserted between the drag and the plunger ends to force the plungers outwardly and expand the arbor, a cope, and means to-center the cope on the drag, substantially as described.

In testimon whereof I ax my signature in presence o a'witness.

Jona n. wanmn. 

